BJP president Rajnath Singh on Saturday said there was a “conspiracy” behind the release of the tape containing the purported conversations between Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s close aide Amit Shah and IPS officer G L Singhal, which allegedly suggest illegal surveillance mounted by police on a woman on the orders of “saheb”.

The report, put out by news portals Cobrapost and Gulail on Friday, would, however, only benefit the BJP, Singh said.

“Cobrapost has said that it does not vouch for the authenticity of the tapes. What is the issue then?” Singh told reporters.

Later, speaking to The Sunday Express, Singh did not, however, deny the alleged snooping incident. He said it was the “moral responsibility of the government to provide security” to the woman referred to in the purported conversations.

“There is a conspiracy here. The tapes were with IPS officer G L Singhal, he gave them to CBI. Why were they released now? It was meant to specifically target Modi,” Singh said. The alleged tapes were over four years old, he said. “They were only with the CBI, who gave them to Cobrapost? The dirty tricks department of Congress is behind this. It must be probed.”

Singh said: “If someone in a family is being harassed by someone and if that family has a relationship with the head of that state or if he expects the state government to provide them protection, and if he then requests the government, is it not the moral responsibility of the government to provide protection? Did Narendra Modi commit any wrong?”

Singh pointed out that the father of the woman had already clarified the issue.

“If a father seeks protection for his daughter, is it not the responsibility of the government to provide it?

“I want to alert citizens that Congress will try to defame Modi as the election approaches, but I also want to tell the Congress that the more mud you throw on him, stronger will the BJP will emerge.” Singh rejected the Congress’s demand to reconsider the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate following the report. He said: “There is no question of doing a rethink on our prime ministerial candidate. Narendra Modi is our candidate and he will remain so.”